Safety-clutch for elevators



(N0 Mudel.)

E W HOUSER SAFETY CLUTCH FOB ELEVATORS.

No. 405,555 Patented June 18, 1889.

M dd/l4 ATTO R N EYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR WV. HOUSER, OF SYRACUSE, NEW/V YORK.

SAFETYECLUTCH FOR ELEVATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 405,555, dated June 18,1889. Application filed May 14, 1888. Renewed April 29, 1889. Serial No.309,115. (No modeld To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDGAR IV. IIOUsER, of Syracuse, in the county ofOnondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Safety-Clutches for Elevators, of which the following,taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear,and exact description.

This invention consists in a novel construction of a safety-clutch whichis simple, cou1- paratively inexpensive, and readily connected to anelevator-car, and is safe and reliable in its operation.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a front View of the main portion ofthe upper part of an elevator car provided with my improvedsafety-clutch. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on line :0 00,Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 4c is a horizontaltransverse section on line y 1 Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a detached faceview of the plate, which is formed with the stationary clutch-jaw in onepiece.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A A represent the head cross-beams of the elevator-car, and A one of thevertical side posts framed to the said cross'beams.

C denotes one of the usual vertical guiderails secured to the sides ofthe elevator-shaft c is the hoisting-strap, formed in the shape of aloop, which passes vertically between the cross-beams A A, and issecured at its upper end to the hoisting-cable, and supports the carbyasemi-elliptic spring 8, passing through the lower end of the loop ofthe hoisting-strap and bearing with its ends against the under side ofstout pins t t, extending transversely through the cross-beams A A.

To the side of the post A, adjacent to the guide-rail O, is fastened aplate f, which has integral or formed in one piece therewith the jaw a,facing one side of the guide-rail O, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of thedrawings, said jaw being provided with a serrated or toothed faceadapted to engage and firmly grip the guide-rail. At the opposite sideof the guide-rail is a shaft b, extended horizontally across the car AA, and journaled at its ends in the two plates f f, secured to oppositesides of the car. To each end of the said shaft is firmly secured a jawa, which is inclined downward'and toward the guide-rail and providedwith a tooth adapted to engage the said guide-rail, so as to obtain afirm hold thereon.

At the center of the length of the shaft b is a crank-pin (Z, projectingfrom the side of the shaft, and from the hoisting-strap 0 projects anarm 6, which is bifurcated at its free end, by which it is adapted tobear on top of the aforesaid crank-pin. A spring h, attached at one endto the head cross-beam A and having its opposite end coiled around theshaft 1) and secured thereto, serves to turn said shaft, so as to holdthe jaw a normally out of engagement with the guide-rail C.

The operation of my improved safety-clutch is as follows: In case thehoisting-cable breaks while supporting the car in a suspended position,the spring 5 presses the strap 0 downward, and thereby causes the arm 6to press 011 the crank-pin d, so as to turn the shaft 1) and throw thejaw a into engagement with the guide-rail (3. Said jaw stands at such anangle in relation to the guide-rail as to cause the former to be crowdedtoward the latter by the weight of the car, and thus re-enforce the holdof the said jaw on the guiderail. Said hold of the two sets of jaws onthe two guide-rails at opposite sides of the car serves to effectuallyarrest the descent of the car.

I do not limit myself specifically to the form of the arm e and itsbearing on the crank-pin cl, as it is obvious that most any suitable andwell-known crank connection between the strap 0 and strap 6 will answerthe same purpose.

Having described my inventionnvhat I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

In combination with the car A A, guide rail 0, and the strap 0,supporting the car by a spring, the jaw a, fixed to the carat one sideof the guide-rail, the shaft 1), extended across the car, the jaw a,secured to the end of said shaft, crank-connections between the strap cand shaft 1), and the spring 7L, arranged to turn the shaft and hold thejaw a normally out of engagement with the guiderail, substantially asset forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence oftwo Witnesses, at

Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the EDGAR WV. HOUSER.

\Vit-nesses:

G. L. BENDIX N, O. H. DUELL.

